1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of construction of flywheels, and particularly to a method of construction of a fiberglass-epoxy composition flywheel.
2. General Description of the Prior Art
It has been suggested that flywheels be constructed of relatively low mass, but high tensile strength materials, and in accordance with this suggestion, flywheels have been constructed of fiberglass fibers bonded together with an epoxy or epoxy resin. However, reports from tests of flywheels so constructed have been disappointing, it appearing that structural failures occur at flywheel speeds less than speeds at which failure should occur considering the known tensile strength of the fibers of the fiberglass. The failures were manifested by progressive delamination (from center outward) of the flywheels tested. As a result, efforts have been underway to improve the construction of fiberglass-epoxy flywheels, and a number of proposed flywheel configurations have appeared. Illustrations of certain of these appeared in the December 1973 issue of Scientific American. While some improvements in performance may have been achieved by varying the structural configuration, as far as is known, flywheels have not as yet been constructed which will withstand operational forces on the order of the tensile strength of reinforcing fibers employed, an obvious design objective.